Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Energy Union Maros Sefcovic sent letters to the energy ministers of Ukraine and Russia to invite them to gas talks in Brussels on March 2.

REUTERS

Ukraine and Russia have confirmed presence at a tripartite meeting on gas issues in Brussels on March 2, a spokesperson for the European Commission told Russian News Agency TASS.

"The trilateral meeting will be held in Brussels on Monday, March 2. Both energy ministers have confirmed their presence," the spokesperson said.

Invited to the Brussels talks on March 2 will be also CEO of Russia's OAO Gazprom Alexei Miller and Naftogaz Ukrainy CEO Andriy Kobolev.

"The European Commission stands for separate discussion of gas supplies to Donbas and gas shipments to the rest of Ukraine. Adherence by Russia and Ukraine to their obligations concerning gas transit shipments to Europe should be a top priority," the diplomat said.

Naftogaz earlier confirmed readiness to participate in negotiations of representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the European Commission. The company said that the Ukrainian delegation would be led by Energy and Coal Industry Minister Volodymyr Demchyshyn.

As UNIAN reported, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of Energy Union Maros Sefcovic sent letters to the energy ministers of Ukraine and Russia to invite them to gas talks in Brussels on March 2.

The European authorities expect that "both sides will fulfil the so-called winter package" protocol regarding Russian gas supplies to Ukraine.

Gazprom has been restricting supplies of gas to Ukraine for the last few days. In this regard, Naftogaz Ukrainy has warned Gazprom that it cannot make further advance payments for natural gas without guarantees that the Russian gas monopolist will stick to the Brussels protocol.

Naftogaz has also said that Gazprom's decision to supply gas to the territories occupied by the militants runs contrary to the existing contract.

As previously stated by Naftogaz CEO Kobolev, Ukraine would not pay the bills for gas supplied by Gazprom to the occupied territories in Donbas.

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